Golf tee having writing material protruding from the lower portion thereof



Sept. 20, 1966 w. J. WILLIAMS 3,273,890

GOLF TEE HAVING WRITING MATERIAL PROTRUDING FROM THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF Filed July 2, 1965 INVENTOR Mzz/lwv J M44 Mum ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,273,890 GOLF TEE HAVING WRITING MATERIAL PRU- TRUDIN G FROM Til-IE MOWER PORTlON THEREOF William J. Williams, P.0. Box 279, Owenshoro, Ky. Filed July 2, 1965, Ser. No. 462,296 8 Claims. (Cl. 273-33) The present invention relates to equipment useful in the playing of the game of golf and more particularly to a golf ball support device having a writing instrument integrally molded therein.

At many golf courses, tees, scoring pencils and score cards are available complimentarily upon the payment of the greens fee or are made available complimentarily or for a small sum at the pro shop associated with the course. Although the cost per golfer, per day, for such items is quite small, over the course of a season the average golf course or pro shop expends several hundreds of dollars in providing these items. For this reason, any development that could reduce the cost of providing these items without causing a reduction in the quality of the service is highly desirable.

The present invention provides a molded golf tee of generally conventional over-all exterior configuration having a writing instrument, preferably in the form of a small piece of graphite or the like, embedded therein adjacent the pointed lower end thereof, the piece of graphite or the like protruding from, or being exposed with respect to, the lower end of the tee.

In one form, it is the object of the invention to provide a combined golf tee and writing instrument of the character described, wherein the piece of graphite or the like is rod shaped and has an outcrop which extends upwardly along the tee from the point end thereof on one side of the tee for a significant distance, for instance one thirty-second to one-quarter of an inch therealong.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined golf tee and Writing instrument of the type described wherein the writing instrument remains usable even after the lead has worn past the point of the tee, through writing or because of the abrasive action of the ground in which the tee is placed, thereby obviating the necessity of the users carrying a pencil sharpener to re-expose the piece of graphite or the like.

These and further objects of the present invention as well as the principles and scope of applicability thereof will become more clearly apparent during the course of the following detailed description relating to preferred embodiments of the present invention as they are depicted in the attached drawing.

In the drawing FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a golf tee having an integral writing instrument, partly broken away to expose the piece of graphite or the like;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the point region of a golf tee having an integral writing instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of a mold ready to receive a plastic composition for forming the FIGURE 2 embodiment, a piece of graphite or the like being shown positioned in the mold.

The golf tee of FIGURE 1 is of generally conventional exterior configuration although the principles of the present invention are certainly applicable to golf tees whose upper, ball supporting region is of non-conventional shape. In general, the tee 10 is rod-like, being vertically elongated, having a generally cylindrical central region 12 of constant, circular transverse cross-sectional shape. The region 12 merges at its upper extent with a region 14 having an upwardly, outwardly flaring generally frustoconically curved outer peripheral surface 16, the larger diameter end 18 of which is presented upwardly. The region 14 also includes an upwardly opening socket or depression 20 which is generally coaxial with the surface 16. When in use as a ball support the tee 10 is pushed into the earth up to a point intermediate the upper and lower ends of the cylindrical central region 12 and a golf ball, indicated by the phantom line 22, supported on the rim 24 of the depression 20.

At its lower extent, the cylindrical central region 12 merges with a downwardly, inwardly tapering region 26 of generally frusto-conical exterior configuration 38 terminating at its lowermost extent in a point, fillet or small width annular surface 28. The tapering region 26 is generally thought necessary in order to facilitate insertion of golf tees in clay or tough sod.

Golf tees generally fall into two classes, those which are carved or turned from blocks of material, such as wood, and those which are molded from. moldable material such as thermoplastic or thermosetting polymeric compositions. The present invention is more particularly concerned with those of the latter class, although some aspects thereof particularly those concerning the embodiment of FIGURE 2, are relevant to tees made of wood.

As seen in FIGURE 1, the tee 10 includes a generally rod-like piece of writing material 30 molded in the region 26 generally centrally thereof so as to protrude from the region 26 at the point 28. The material 30 preferably comprises a short length of lead made of powdered graphite and a plastic binder, of the type used in lead pencils. However, any material which will produce an easily visible mark when frictionally engaged with a piece of paper and which has wear characteristics approximating those of pencil lead could be used, for instance any powdered pigment molded, pressed or otherwise formed into a rod or lump with or without the application of heat and/or pressure and with or without such assistants as a binder, extender or friction aid.

The writing material 30 is preferably placed in the golf tee mold before the introduction of tee molding composition therein so that when the latter is introduced the upper portion 32 of the writing material 30 becomes entrapped in the tee region 26 and at least a small part 34 of the material protrudes from the plastic composition of tiie tee It) at the point 28. The writing material 30 is thus retained in the tee 10 by flowing of the plastic composition of the tee ll into microscopic surface irregularities (not shown) of the writing material upper portion 32.

After teeing off, the golfer, or his caddy if such be the case, removes the tee it) from the ground and carries it with him. When the hole being played has been completed the golfer rubs the exposed part 34 of the writing material 30 against his score card in the appropriate space thereon and in an intelligent manner to produce characters indicating his score for the hole. Usually, the exposed part 34 of the writing material will last as long as the remainder of the tee 10, i.e. through from one to several holes of play.

The golf tee 10 embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2 is considered ot be an improvement over the golf tee 10 of FIGURE 1. The embodiment it) differs from the golf tee lil principally in the placement of the rod of graphite or the like writing material 30. In FIGURE 2, the writing material 30' is an elongated rod having its longitudinal axis generally parallel to a generatrix 36 of the conically curved outer peripheral surface 38'. According to the invention, the longitudinal centerline of the writing material 30' is so close to the generatrix 36 that the outer peripheral surface 40 thereof is tangential with the surface 38 at the generatrix or projects slightly radially therebeyond due to greater shrinkage of the tee molding composition than of the material 30' during cooling of the tee 10'. Therefore, as shown in FIGURE 2, the

exterior sidewall 40 of the material 30 is exposed throughout all, or a significant part, of the length of the material 30 and along a significant part of the length of the generatrix 36 providing an outcrop 42 of writing material. Those familiar with solid geometry will understand that the arcuate extent of the outcrop 42 as described will be less than 180 degrees, for instance 45 degrees, so that the writing material will be gripped in a. channel or socket 44 that is C-shaped in transverse cross-section.

Reflecting upon the tee of FIGURE 1, it should be apparent that if the writing material 30 should break off or wear down to the point 28 through excessive rubbing of the portion 34 against a score card or through repeated insertions of the tee 10 in hard clay, abrasive soil or tough sod, the tee 10 becomes of no further use as a scoring device, unless the plastic composition of the tee is such as would permit shaving or sharpening of the point region 26 to again expose the material 30 at the point 28. In contrast, to be useful the writing material 30' need project little, if at all, below the point 28 since the outcrop 42 extends significantly, for instance one-thirty-second to one-quarter inch along the geueratrix 36. For this reason, the tee 10' maybe handled roughly, inserted in abrasive or hard ground many times while remaining useful as a score keeping instrument since the user need only orient the tee 10 so that the longitudinal axis thereof is inclined obliquely to the vertical with the generatrix 36 downward in order to be able to rub the writing material 30 against a score card.

It should also be appreciated that the embodiment of FIGURE 2 is relevant to tees made of wood since the socket 44 could be drilled, or similarly formed, in a wooden tee so as to intercept the surface 38 along the generatrix 36 and provide a gap having transverse extent of less than 180 degrees. The writing material 30 could then be inserted in the socket 44 and held in place by friction fit, adhesive or the like.

FIGURE 3 depicts the lower portion of an exemplary half 50 of an exemplary mold for forming the tee 10' of FIGURE 2, the unshown half being substantially identical to the half shown. The mold includes a cavity 110' having a cylindrical portion 112' to form the tee central region 12 and a conically curved lower portion 126' for forming the tee portion 26'. In the molding operation the mold is preferably held in a vertical position as shown, although a semi-recumbent position could be used so long as the portion 126' extends generally downwardly from the portion 112. A piece of writing material 30 is first placed in the cavity 110. Because of the shape and orientation of the cavity as described the material 30' will assume the desired position shown, whereupon a plastic tee forming composition can be injected or otherwise displaced into the mold and hardened therein. The tee formed will resemble that depicted in FIGURE 2. The exemplary mold has been discussed as if it had two identical halves 50. Actually, it may comprise several parts, for instance a bottom to form the surface 38, a pair of complementary side walls to form the exterior of the central region 12' and the flared upper region and a fourth part to form the ball supporting indentation at the top of the tree (not shown in FIGURE 2, in FIGURE 1).

The well 52 of the mold may be provided of diameter sufficient to accommodate a short section 34' of the piece of material so that said section 34 will project below the point 28' of the finished tee 10'.

The use of a cylindrical piece of writing material 30 or 30' is preferrt d since, pencil lead is most readily and inexpensively available in this form, and insofar as the FIGURE 2 embodiment and the process described in regard to FIGURE 3 are concerned, the desired outcrop of the material can be easily and efficiently obtained with such a shape; however, pieces of writing material of noncircular transverse cross-section and in fact of irregular shape should not be considered outside the purview of the present invention.

It should now be realized that the embodiments of the invention described herein clearly illustrate the principles of the invention, accomplish each of its objects in an cfiicient manner and are susceptible of some variation without departing from these principles or failing to accomplish these objects. Therefore, the present invention should be understood as encompassing all such objects as are within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A golf tee comprising: an elongated body region; means defining a golf ball support at one end of said elongated body region; uneans defining a tapered region adjacent and leading to the other end of said elongated body region, the smaller diameter end of said tapered region being farthest from said other end; and a piece of writing material mounted in said tapered region, part of the exterior of said piece of writing \material being exposed in said tapered region whereby said piece of writing material can be rubbed against a score card to record scores; the tapered region being defined by a generally tfrustoconically curved outer peripheral surface, and said piece of writing material comprising a rod of pigment and binder having the longitudinal axis thereof canted with respect to the longitudinal axis of said golf tee thereby exposing said rod above said tapered region s-rnaller diameter end.

2. The golf tee of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis of said rod is substantially parallel to a generatrix of said frusto-conically curved outer peripheral surface and the exterior of said rod is exposed along a substantial portion of the length of said generatrix.

3. The golf tee of claim 2 wherein said rod is a cylinder and the exterior thereof is exposed for less than degrees of the arcuate extent of said rod.

4. The golf tee of claim 3 wherein said rod is exposed for about 45 degrees of the arcuate extent of said rod.

5. The golf tee of claim 3 wherein said pigment is graphite.

6. The golf tee of claim 3 essentially composed of polymerized plastic material, the rod of pigment and binder being an inclusion therein, the polymerized plastic material being interlocked with the outer peripheral surface of the rod of pigment and binder to secure the rod of pigment and binder in said tee.

7. The golf tee of claim 2 wherein said rod is exposed along one-thirty-second to one-fourth inch of the length of said generatrix.

8. The golf tee of claim 7 wherein said rold terminates substantially at the apex of said frusto-conically curved outer peripheral surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 940,797 11/ 1909 Fraser. 1,609,040 11/ 1926 Patterson 27333 1,616,683 2/1927 Eddy 273-33 X 2,391,392 12/1945 Coffin 273-33 X DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GOLF TEE COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED BODY REGION; MEANS DEFINING A GOLF BALL SUPPORT AT ONE END OF SAID ELONGATED BODY REGION; MEANS DEFINING A TAPERED REGION ADJACENT AND LEADING TO THE OTHER END OF SAID ELONGATED BODY REGION, THE SMALLER DIAMETER END OF SAID TAPERED REGION BEING FARTHEST FROM SAID OTHER END; AND A PIECE OF WRITING MATERIAL MOUNTED IN SAID TAPERED REGION, PART OF THE EXTERIOR OF SAID PIECE OF WRITING MATERIAL BEING EXPOSED IN SAID TAPERED REGION WHEREBY SAID PIECE OF WRITING MATERIAL CAN BE RUBBED AGAINST A SCORE CARD TO RECORD SCORES; THE TAPERED REGION BEING DEFINED BY A GENERALLY FRUSTOCONICALLY CURVED OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACE, AND SAID PIECE OF WRITING MATERIAL COMPRISING A ROD OF PIGMENT AND BINDER HAVING THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF CANTED WITH RESPECT TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID GOLF TEE THEREBY EXPOSING SAID ROD ABOVE SAID TAPERED REGION SMALLER DIAMETER END. 